Wall board stud free joint system

ABSTRACT

A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs, and having wall panels arranged with edges of adjacent panels located in spaces between two adjacent studs, a backing strip of wall panel material located in the space between two adjacent studs, behind the edges of the two adjacent panels, fastenings securing the edges of the two adjacent panels to the backing strip, a gap between the two panel edges, and an adhesive filler bonding compound filling the gap and bonding the panel edges to one another, and further bonding the panel edges to the backing strip. Also disclosed is a method of erecting a drywall consisting of attaching a backing strip to the back of a first panel, attaching that first panel to the studs, fastening another backing strip along a free edge of a second panel, erecting that second panel in edge abutting relation with the first and overlapping the backing strip on the first panel, and, fastening the second panel along the backing strip of the first panel and fastening the second panel to the studs.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to wall panels, and to a system of erecting wall panels, with joints between panels formed in spaces between studs. In particular the joints are formed with backing strips of wall board material, providing joints which are made free of the studs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Erection of wallboard, such as gypsum wall board panels, has involved supporting four foot wide panels on studs located at 16 inch centres apart, in the usual wall framing. This located the two edges of the panels overlying one half a stud, at each side. The edge of the panel was fastened to the stud. The stud is 1.75 inches wide. Thus the edge of a panel was secured to half the stud width, ie about 0.85 inches more or less. This was in an ideal case. If there was any inaccuracy in placing the panels, the overlap might even be less. The edges of two adjacent panels had to be butted up close against each other, to ensure adequate fastening to the same stud.

The practice then involved filling the joint with a plaster type filler, and taping over the joint with paper tape. Subsequent sanding and re-filling was often required.

It is well known that as the studs age and dry out, the panel joints tend to become exposed. Fastenings sometimes pop out. Re-filling and sanding and painting is then needed.

It is also well known that this standard practice produces a wall surface which is uneven, in many cases. The filling of plaster material over the dry wall tape adds material to the surface of the wall. Unless this extra filler material is feathered out with skill, it will result in thickening of the wall surface along each joint. This will produce an uneven wall surface with raised contours along each joint.

It has now been discovered that by using a different, stronger form of reinforced wall board panel, and an adhesive joint and bonding compound, that many of these problems can be overcome in a surprising manner.

In this system the joints between adjacent panels are deliberately located in gaps between two studs.

The edges of two panels are joined by an interior backing strip formed of the same reinforced material as the panel itself. The backing strip is located inside the wall, behind the panels.

The backing strip can be 4-6 inches wide. This gives a substantial overlap for the edges of the two panels, and adds reinforcement and rigidity to the joint even though the joint is not supported directly on a stud.

The edges of the two panels are secured, to the backing strip, typically by drywall screws, or staples, or adhesive, or a combination.

A gap is left between the edges of the two panels. This gap is filled with jointing compound which has adhesive and structural properties. The compound not only fills the gap, but actually bonds the two edges together. The compound even bonds the two edges of the panels to the backing strip.

In this way it becomes possible to erect the wall framing with the studs spaced apart in arrangements other than the usual 16 inch centres.

The adhesive compound can be somewhat similar to automobile body fillers. One form can have an epoxy base, with fillers. Another form has a polyurethane base with fillers. Unlike conventional dry wall fillers, these materials have adhesive properties as well as providing a joint filling function.

One form of the reinforced wall board material is sold under the trade name Magnesia Core (trade mark). It contains glass fibre mesh reinforcement, and magnesium oxide, and natural silicates. As a result it can be bonded with epoxy type agents, or polyurethane type agents contained in the fillers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on framing studs, the studs being located at spaced intervals, wherein the reinforced wall panels are arranged with edges of adjacent panels being located in spaces between two adjacent studs, and a backing strip of reinforced wall panel material located within the wall behind the edges of the two adjacent panels, and fastenings securing the edges of the two adjacent panels to the backing strip and defining a gap between the two said edges, and an adhesive filler compound located in said gap and bonding said panel edges to one another, and further bonding said panel edges to said backing strip.

Preferably the edges of the two panels will be secured to the backing strip by fasteners, such as dry wall screws, staples or the like.

After fastening, the joints can then simply be filled and trowelled smooth.

This enables the erection of dry wall without the use of conventional dry wall tape.

It also provides joints which, because they are free of the studs, will not be subjected to the stresses of the studs drying out, warping and so on, which a frequent cause of problems in conventional construction.

The panels and the backing strips are all of the same material. Any stresses developing in such material, will be equal as between the panels and the backing strips, and will not result in opening up of the joints.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with more particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Is a perspective of a wall during erection, partially cut away, and,

FIG. 2 is a section along 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section along 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT

The invention as illustrated will be seen to show a wall structure (10, having framing formed by a series of studs (12), located at spaced intervals. These intervals may or may not be the 16 inch intervals usual in conventional wall framing.

Wall board panels (14), partly cut away, are shown secured to the studs (12), by screws (16). The screws are seen to be located away from the edges of the panels, and are located along lines wherever the studs are placed.

The wall board panels are formed of a reinforced panel material. The reinforcement is typically a mesh material such are fibre reinforced cloth mesh, shown as (30).

One form of such material is sold under the trade name Magnesiacore (trade mark).

Edges (18) of panels (14) are shown joined to one another.

The joints are located in the spaces or gaps between two adjacent studs (12).

The panel edges (18) are shown secured to a backing strip (20). The strip is made of the same reinforced board material as the panels themselves. This strip (20) is located in the space within the wall structure (10), and spaced between two studs (12)

The strip (20) is preferably from 4 to 6 inches wide, and extends somewhat less then the full height, or length, of the panels (14) for reasons described below.

The edges (18) of the two panels are usually secured to the strip (20) by fastenings such as screws (22). Staples, or other fastenings can also be used. In some cases a the adhesive itself is sufficient.

The edges of the two adjacent panels are spaced apart and define a gap (24) between them.

A filling and adhesive bonding compound (26) containing epoxy adhesives is trowelled into the gap (24) between the edges. As the compound (26) cures it bonds to the edges of the boards and holds the edges together.

Dry wall tape is not required. The filler can be trowelled smooth with a knife, without covering with tape.

Tape which was formerly used would have required additional filler to mask the tape. This in turn would have required sanding in an attempt to conceal the contour of the extra filler.

These steps are now avoided and the filler is trowelled level with the actual boards themselves. Taping, filling, and sanding are all avoided.

Some of the compound (26) will also flow between the edges (18) and the strip (20). When this cures, it will bond the two edges (18) to the strip (20) as well as bonding the edges to each other. Another suitable compound contains polyurethane based adhesive agents, with fillers.

The finished joint will thus have great strength, and will be largely independent of drying out and warping of the studs.

The panel joints at corners of the wall will also be formed with gaps (24)

Filler material (26) as before will be trowelled into those gaps and will cure and bond the corner.

It is found that the usual metal corner strips, used in conventional dry wall installation are not required.

It will be understood that along the bottom and top of the wall frame of studs, there will usually be the usual bottom and top plates (28).

The backing strips (20) are cut short at the bottom and top so that the strips are shorter in length than the height of the panels.

This allows the panels to lie flat on the top and bottom plates in the typical wall framing and avoids interference between the backing strips and the bottom and top plates. Erection will involve, in most cases, attaching a backing strip to the back of a first panel.

Attaching that first panel to the studs. Fastening another backing strip along a free edge of a second panel. Erecting that second panel in edge abutting relation with the first and overlapping the backing strip on the first panel. Fastening the second panel along the backing strip of the first panel and fastening the second panel to the studs. In some cases it is desirable to make the backing strip from a plurality of separate backing strip pieces (32), (see FIG. 1), of reinforced board material.

Theses pieces (32) can be made from off cuts of the boards themselves, thus recycling waste material, and avoiding extra expense.

In this case some of these pieces (32) can be attached, spaced apart along one edge of one panel, and other pieces (32) can be attached spaced apart along the edge of the other panel.

When fitted together the separate pieces (32) interdigitate with each other, and thus form an extremely strong rigid joint between the panels.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of example only. The invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs, wherein the studs are located at predetermined spaced intervals, and comprising; wall panels formed of reinforced wall panel material lying on said studs and arranged with edges of adjacent panels being located in spaces between two adjacent studs; a backing strip of reinforced wall panel material located in the space between the two adjacent studs behind the edges of the two adjacent panels, and overlapping each said edge; fastenings securing the edges of the two adjacent panels to the backing strip; a gap being defined between the two said edges; and, an adhesive filler bonding compound located in said gap and bonding said panel edges to one another, and located between said panel edges and said backing strip, and further bonding said panel edges to said backing strip.
 2. A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panels have a predetermined height, and wherein said backing strips have a predetermined length and wherein said length of said backing strips are less than said height of said panel.
 3. A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs as claimed in claim 2 including bonding compound between said strip and said edges of said panels.
 4. A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs as claimed in claim 3 wherein said bonding compound is selected from the group comprising epoxy based compounds and polyurethane based compounds.
 5. A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs as claimed in claim 4 wherein said panels are formed of a magnesia based compound, reinforced with glass mesh reinforcement.
 6. A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs as claimed in claim 5 wherein said backing strips comprise a plurality of separate pieces of reinforced panel board, and wherein some of said pieces are attached to the edge of one panel, at spaced intervals, and wherein other said pieces are attached to the edge of an adjacent panel, with said pieces on one panel interdigitating with the pieces on the other said panel.
 7. A wall panel system for forming a wall surface on wall framing studs, wherein the studs are located at predetermined spaced intervals, and comprising; reinforced wall panels formed of a magnesia based compound, reinforced with glass mesh reinforcement said panels having a predetermined height and secured on said studs and arranged with edges of adjacent panels being located in spaces between two adjacent studs; backing strips of reinforced wall panel material located in spaces between two adjacent studs behind the edges of the two adjacent panels, and overlapping each said edge, said strips having a predetermined length and wherein said length is less that said height of said panels; fastenings securing the edges of the two adjacent panels to the backing strips; a gap being defined between the two said edges; and, an adhesive filler epoxy based bonding compound located in said gap and bonding said panel edges to one another, and located between said panel edges and said backing strip, and further bonding compound between said strip and said edges of said panels bonding said panel edges to said backing strip.
 8. A method of erecting drywall panels to studs and comprising; attaching a backing strip to the back of a first panel; attaching that first panel to said studs; fastening another backing strip along a free edge of a second panel; erecting that second panel in edge abutting relation with the first and overlapping said backing strip on the first panel and, fastening said second panel along the backing strip of the first panel and fastening the second panel to the studs. 